Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nada. Zilch. Period.

A/N- I apologize for the short chapter, but that's life, eh?

"On the Run, pt. 1"

(February 15, 2000- somewhere between Port Charles and the Canadian border)

Lucky led Elizabeth to the bus station and immediately purchased two tickets. To where exactly, she did not have time to discover as they rushed to the bus and boarded before she could ask. When they were on their way and things were relatively calm, she decided it was safe to ask where they were going.

"It doesn't matter," Lucky answered stoically. "We won't be there long." He offered her nothing beyond this short statement. In fact, he said almost nothing to her the whole journey long. Elizabeth was starting to believe she was dreaming again. The man she saw before her...he looked like Lucky, he had Lucky's eyes and his hands and his lips. But something was different, something had changed. This Lucky was harder and his face was closed and impossible to read. He avoided her glances and ever time she made a move to be closer to him, he edged away.

Finally, Elizabeth decided she knew what change had occurred. He didn't love her anymore. That was why he was being so distant, there was no other explanation. He was still cared for her, or else he wouldn't have bothered to take her with him to protect her from Helena, but he clearly didn't love her anymore. Elizabeth stared out the window at the passing trees. It was all she could do to keep the wells of tears from escaping down her face.

After an hour or so, Elizabeth fell asleep, leaning against the window. Lucky watched her with a pain like a fireball growing in his chest. He had spent hours on Helena's yacht imaging her reaction if he ever fought his way back to her. But nothing he had envisioned matched what had happened that night. She was shocked yes, and there was a fair amount of disbelief, but there had been no great relief and rejoicing. 'You've had too much time to plan this,' Lucky admonished himself. 'You can't expect her to be exactly what you'd dreamed'. There was only one explanation in his mind, one that confirmed his worst fears. She had obviously gotten over his death and he himself. Not even in his worst nightmares had he imagined she would not love him at all, but it was clear that she was no longer in love with him. A few spare tears rolled away from his eyes. He brushed them away half-heartedly and continued to watch her sleep.